Moby Dick

2 Pages 392 Words

Moby Dick
The moral ambiguity of the universe is prevalent throughout Melville’s
Moby Dick. None of the characters represent pure evil or pure goodness.
Even Melville’s description of Ahab, whom he repeatedly refers to
"monomaniacal," suggesting an amorality or psychosis, is given a chance to
be seen as a frail, sympathetic character. When Ahab’s "monomaniac" fate
is juxtaposed with that of Ishmael, that moral ambiguity deepens, leaving
the reader with an ultimate unclarity of principle.

The final moments of Moby Dick bring the novel to a terse, abrupt climax.
The mutual destruction of the Pequod and the White Whale, followed by
Ishmael’s epilogue occupies approximately half a dozen pages. Despite
Melville’s previous tendency to methodically detail every aspect of
whaling life, he assumes a concise, almost journalistic approach in the
climax. Note that in these few pages, he makes little attempt to assign
value judgements to the events taking place. Stylistically, his narration
is reduced to brusque, factual phrases using a greater number of
semicolons. By ending the book so curtly, Melville makes a virtually
negligible attempt at denouement, leaving what value judgements exist to
the reader.

Ultimately, it is the dichotomy between the respective fortunes of Ishmael
and Ahab that the reader is left with. Herein lies a greater moral
ambiguity than is previously suggested. Although Ishmael is the sole
survivor of the Pequod, it is notable that in his own way, Ahab fulfills
his desire for revenge by ensuring the destruction of the White Whale
alongside his own end. Despite the seeming superiority of Ishmael’s
destiny, Melville does not explicitly indicate so. On the contrary, he
subtly suggests that Ishmael’s survival is lonely and empty upon being
rescued: "It was the devious-cruising Rachel, that in her retracing search
after her missing children, only found anothe...